Chapter 3: Know Your Firearm Equipment
Shotshells
Shotgun shells (shotshells) use
either a slug or shot as the projectile(s).
- A slug is a solid projectile, usually of lead, used for hunting big game with a shotgun.
- Shot are multiple pellets fired through a shotgun barrel.
Shot size is matched to the game being hunted. This type
of projectile is used typically to hunt game birds and
small game animals.
The shotshells must exactly match
the gauge and shell length specified by the
manufacturer exactly. This information is
usually found on the barrel of the
shotgun. Shotguns may be chambered
for 2½-inch, 2¾-inch, 3-inch, or 3½-inch
shells. This refers to the length
of the shell after it has been fired. Read more about correctly
matching ammunition to your firearm.
You also must choose the correct
type and size of shot for the shotshell.
In general, as the size of your
target decreases, you should also
decrease the diameter of the shot
you use.
- As pellet diameter decreases, more shot can be placed
in a standard shotshell.
- The smaller the shot "number," the larger
the pellet diameter.
- Shotshell marked as "magnum" means the shell
has more shot or more gunpowder than a regular shell. Either magnum
or regular shotshells can be used if the
correct gauge and shell length are used.
Steel shot pellets react differently
than lead when shot. Steel weighs about 2/3 as much as lead
but is much harder. Steel does not
deform and is not as unstable in
flight. It will produce a tighter
pattern than lead shot. If using
steel shot for hunting, choose a
steel shot size one to two sizes
larger than the lead shot you would
select. See "Shotgun-Shooting"
for more
information about shot strings for lead and steel shot.
Non-Toxic Shot
Non-toxic shot is required throughout the U.S. for waterfowl
hunting. Studies showed that many waterfowl died each year
because of lead poisoning. Lead pellets from traditional
shotshells were picked up and digested by waterfowl. The
toxic effect spread to other birds, such as the bald eagle,
who consumed the poisoned waterfowl. To reduce this problem,
conservationists worked with shotshell manufacturers to produce
other kinds of shot—steel, tungsten alloy,
or bismuth shot.
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